There are numerous candidates for graduation into the Manchester United first-team from the Under-21 set-up at Old Trafford, including precociously-talented teenager Adnan Januzaj's countryman Andrea Pereira, exciting forward Tom Lawrence and two-goal debutant James Wilson.

However, for Paul Scholes, the player who could be on the cusp of a strong pre-season and progression into Louis van Gaal's senior selection is Jesse Lingard, who enjoyed two loan spells away from Manchester last season, both in the Championship, and scored ten goals and provided ten assists from a combined 30 starts.

Speaking to Paddy Power, legendary United midfielder Paul Scholes - who was one of the most cultured passers of the football the Premier League has ever seen - identified Lingard as the cream of the young crop who are seemingly ready to make the next footballing step in Stretford.

"There's obviously James Wilson who came into the first team and scored two goals on his debut," said Scholes, referencing the striker's headline-grabbing antics against Hull City, under the watch of interim boss Ryan Giggs, at the tail-end of the season.

"Some of the lads who are a bit older than that I like… [such as] Jesse Lingard [who] has been brilliant out on loan at a couple of places now [Brighton and Hove Albion & Birmingham City] and I think he has a great future."

Scholes continued: "With the new manager coming in, who likes young players, he could really burst on to the scene in the future."

Reserve team manager Warren Joyce has echoed Scholes' lauding of Lingard, but believes that when the chance comes for the 21-year-old to shine, "he must grab it with both hands".

He said on the club's official website: "People like Jesse Lingard… have done really well out on loan. Jesse is a very clever footballer who does a lot of the right things. I am sure he can play in the Premier League. I feel for players like that as I want them to do well.

"I look at players at other clubs and don't think they're necessarily as good as people like Jesse. It's about being fortunate enough to get a chance and then grabbing it with both hands."